Ten
by Vicious Grin
Summary: Mikasa has blossomed into a young adult, captivating the attention of her corporal. They just have trouble coming to terms with their feelings for one another. A series of interconnected one-shots centered around the number ten.
1. Chapter 1

**After about 20 rewrites, and a bit of pressure from friend person, I've finally decided to upload this. **

**A few things to be aware of: It's meant to look simplistic. There are hints of repetition - that's intentional. My writing isn't the best. Characters may get ooc, but I think it's safe to present to the world. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

A streak of red flew across his line of vision.

A titan fell, but not before letting out a deafening roar. A roar only a handful of surviving scouts knew too well.

It didn't take long for more to appear. First only a few of the smaller 10 meters, then the 15, appeared from the shadows of the dense forest. Giant arms swinging about, seemingly aimlessly, grabbing whatever unfortunate souls they could.

Blood-curdling screams ripped through the air.

It was suicide to go against so many at once, especially with troop numbers depleting at an increasingly dangerous rate. Still, there was no flare to signal retreat. This mission was too important. Even if their numbers were reduced to one, they were all instructed to see it to its end – even if it meant their own.

The members of Corporal Levi's Special Ops Squadron knew better than to go about helter-skelter slicing the napes of titans. Not when there were so many around them. There was a strategy to it and communication was key. His instructions were simple: focus on your target, be aware of your surroundings, and don't fuck up.

Another streak of red followed by a clanking of metal.

It was such a subtle motion that no one else around seemed to notice, but he knew her well enough at this point. He saw how she nearly tripped trying to land on the tree branch next to him. She was getting tired.

"_Oi_, Ackerman." He called.

Mikasa spun around to meet the lidded eyes of Corporal Levi. He tilted his head in the direction of an Aberrant closing in fast. It was too quick and too unpredictable for the others to take down. She nodded in understanding and together they took off.

Their movements were calculated, precise, even ethereal. The heavy blades held at their sides were more like lethal extensions of their arms. No words were ever said between the two. It was a sight to behold – the famous 'Humanity's Strongest' as they were admiringly regarded as by their peers – dancing with ease through the air; a trail of fallen titans left in their wake. Together they were unstoppable.

Another Aberrant appeared from behind Mikasa, catching her off guard. She leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding the giant jaws that lunged at her. Using all his speed, Levi spun through the air. His blades sliced deep, practically decapitating the monster. It stood still for a few seconds, almost unaware it had been attacked. Mikasa landed on its forehead, looking down into hollow eyes.

"_Fall."_

And it did.

* * *

With most of the titans dead and quickly dissipating into the evening sun, the duo regrouped on a nearby branch.

"What did I tell you about paying attention to your surroundings?" Levi admonished, annoyance clearly hanging in his voice.

Mikasa switched out her dull blades. "It came from behind," was all she said. Her lack of respect for authority irked him to no end, though his expression never really showed it. He would deal with her attitude later.

"Hn. I'm not always going to be around to save your ass."

He watched as she ignored him to check her equipment and noticed her fuel was running low. She always did push things to their limits. What was she trying to prove? She was no longer a teenager trying to sort through the emotions of her menial life. Those years were finally over with. _'Thankfully.'_ With still no sign of the mission nearing its end, he knew it would be a while before they could be able to refuel their tanks. He couldn't risk her being stranded_. 'Damn girl will be the death of me.'_

"Switch tanks with me." He ordered.

She lifted her head and cocked it to the side, her grey eyes meeting his dark gaze with a look of confusion.

"Why?"

"Because I am your Corporal. Do not question me, brat."

Annoyed, she complied.

Almost immediately after attaching the others' tanks, a much taller 20 meter titan emerged behind from the shadows, its arm extended high above and ready to come crashing down. Levi's normally stoic eyes widened before shouting. _"-Mikasa! Go now!" _

Without question, she shot off like a missile expecting her corporal to be close behind. When she looked back, he was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes darted from tree to tree, searching for him among the thick branches, before finally spotting his small black tuft of hair wrapped in the clutches of the giant hand.

The guilt only hit her for a second, quickly replaced by blind rage.

Red.

Two slices, one after the other, until the titan's head fell clean off.

Falling.

_Her_ corporal was falling.

His gear was crushed; his appendages useless. He was a ragdoll at the mercy to the world around him. He closed his eyes.

'_So this is how it ends,' _he thought to himself,_ 'Pity.' _

A streak of red.

She flew as fast as she could, grabbing hold of him and clutching tight before they fell to the ground with a dull thud.

A yellow flare shot into the air signifying the mission was over.

* * *

He was unconscious for two weeks. Maybe more. But he was alive. Mikasa stood at the foot of his bed in the infirmary, staring at his form with furrowed brows, almost trying to will him awake. He came out with a few broken ribs, wrist, and leg. She suffered only from a slight concussion. Ever since they had come back to the safety of the cobbled castle barracks she had been internally kicking herself for being so careless. It should have been her in the palm of the titan, not her captain. His injuries were her fault. She was the one who had used up her fuel, after all. _'He should have minded his own damn business.'_

A twitch.

It was slight, but there was no mistaking his hand's subtle movement.

His mouth opened. Moved. A small whisper, barely audible, escaped his chapped lips.

"_Mikasa,"_

She moved to sit beside him, wrapping her soft hands around his. It felt coarse and worn, but she paid no mind. His fingers moved, gradually intertwining with hers, gripping as tightly as they could. The action caught her slightly off guard, but she credited it to his addled mind. She squeezed back in return.

"I-I'm here," her voice trembled, "Levi, I'm here." His name escaped her lips as though it was second nature.

Slowly, he managed to open his eyes. Blinking and taking in his surroundings, the smell of disinfectant that invaded his nostrils comforted him to a degree. "Where am I?" he breathed out.

Her eyes softened before brushing loose hairs away from his face. "The infirmary," she spoke gently. "It's been almost a month, I think. I stopped counting days. The expedition was successful."

With a moist washcloth, she dabbed at his forehead, temples, and lips, cleaning his face of sweat and crusted blood. This was her daily routine as of late. "I'm sorry, heichou."

He kept his eyes fixated on her, just now noticing how delicate she appeared, how much guilt she held in her downcast eyes. Yes, years of battling titans took their toll on her, as they did to everyone. The youthful innocence she once had left her features long ago. She was now a hardened soldier fighting for humanity and he hated it. He hated how this was her 'normal.' He hated how she always took the blame with every injury that damn brother of hers sustained, never expecting any sort of thanks in return. He hated waking up to find _her _caring for him like it was once again her fault. Yet despite all that, his urge to reach out and shield her from the destruction of the world seemed to rule over all else. He could see the dark circles under her eyes, telling him she had little to no sleep. '_Had she been here the entire time? '_

"Have you had any rest?" he winced. Speaking wasn't easy, especially with a split lip.

She didn't answer. Call it pride or embarrassment, she didn't want him knowing she had been sleeping in the wooden chair beside his bedframe, leaving only when Commander Erwin ordered her to eat or bathe. The rest of her chores went largely ignored. No one dared discipline her.

"Mikasa, look at me." _Think about your goddamn self for once!_

Their eyes met and he knew.

She didn't have to say a word.

With a wince, he moved over and gestured for her to lie beside him. She stood up and took a step back, concern flooding her face.

"But sir, you're-"

"-a lot stronger than I look, Ackerman." He interrupted. "Please," he gestured again, holding his hand out to her. _I need you. _

_I need you, too._

She closed her eyes and nodded before carefully climbing in beside him. He wrapped his arm around her, noting how small her frame felt against his. '_Ten years of this and she still seems like a child.'_

Fatigue quickly took over, the steady beating of his heart forcing her into a dull slumber. He remained awake, taking comfort in her warm embrace. It took him years to admit that he held a certain fondness for the girl. He never told her, but it was becoming more obvious each day to those around them. Somewhere in the back of her mind, he suspected she felt the same.

Her brows furrowed again. Her hands twitched before grabbing hold of his shirt and letting out frantic breaths. She groaned.

A nightmare.

"_Levi..." _

He looked back down to her and stroked her cheek. She eventually loosened her grip, her facial features relaxing. He didn't care about the pains in his body. He didn't care about the titans. In that moment, it was only her. They were both alive. That was all that mattered and he was going to try like hell to keep it that way.

He kissed her forehead. "Thank you… Mikasa."

* * *

**A/N: Phew, ok. Wasn't_ that_ unbearable, right? I've been holding onto this and editing it over and over for the past month. I have two others written out, but I have no idea whether or not they should see the light of day. **

**Thanks for reading! **

**-VG-**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Attack on Titan.**

**Ok, well, here is the second of the three I wrote out. I've edited and revised it so many times that if I don't post it now, it's just going to end up being one of those never-ending things. **

**Warning: It starts off a bit smutty. If you're uncomfortable with that, just skip down a few paragraphs. They also have a few fluffy ooc moments. There was no way around it. **

**Reviews are always appreciated. Happy reading!**

* * *

"We can't… keep… doing this," he ground out between thrusts.

Mikasa responded by arching her back and wrapping her legs around him, bringing his hips even closer to her muscular frame. She dug her nails into his sweaty back, desperate for some sort of release. He bent down, planting wet kisses behind her ear. _'Fuck it,' _he thought, quickening his pace,_ 'we're not kidding anyone.'_

"_Levi…ah…"_

Hearing her moan his name from her moist lips threw him over the edge. He grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, exposing the pale skin of her neck.

"Again," he commanded, his lips pressed hard against her ear, "tell me who you belong to." His thrusts were getting more fervent, nearing his own release.

"You, Levi," she breathed, "Only you. Always you."

She gave out a soft cry as he felt her inner muscles contract around him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, digging her fingers into his scalp, she screamed his name once more before collapsing. A couple more hard thrusts of his own and he soon followed, burying his face into her neck as he emptied himself, leaving behind red teeth marks.

They stayed that way, still connected to each other, trying to catch their breath as they slowly came down from their highs.

He lifted his head and untangled his fingers from her hair, bringing his hand lower to cup her face. She turned to look at him and did the same, drawing small circles over his temple with her thumb. Her gaze moved from his eyes to study the thin line above his eyebrows. She frowned. A scar from the incident a few months back. It was just one of many. Different missions, different injuries. This was their life.

He sighed and carefully removed himself from her, resting by her side and covering their bodies with a wrinkled sheet. He made a mental note to wash and iron it tomorrow.

The first time he saw her naked, he was as gentle as he could be. She was a virgin, after all. She quickly made sure he knew she wanted all of him. No holding back. It was like this every time a new expedition came looming near. They would end up in his bedchamber, tangled in pristine white sheets, succumbing to primal cravings as though their lives depended on it. He supposed it was basic human nature to feel such wanton desires in the face of danger. Yet he would never admit he always concerned for her safety. It wasn't in _his_ nature to do so, though he suspected she already knew. She was good, but she could be careless.

What they were doing wasn't exactly forbidden. The rules against fraternizing had become lax over the years, mainly due to the fact that the dangers to their world were declining. Many others had formed relationships, married, started families of their own, though none actually involved a superior and subordinate – that he knew of, anyway. It just want practical. The thought of starting a family, forming emotional attachments, while their entire existence was under threat – no matter how small – just seemed a wholly irresponsible thing to do. He would never even consider it knowing that every time he left the safety of the walls, he would also possibly be leaving behind a widow… or even orphans. And what about now that Mikasa was in the picture? It was hard enough for him to admit he had fallen hard for the girl, now woman. How could he even imagine starting a family with her? 'Humanity's Strongest,' both in the Survey Corps – one of the most dangerous branches of their military – leaving children behind with no relatives to look after them? No. He would never do that.

_Although… _

The thought of having a child or two with the woman beside him was an appealing thought. She would make a great mother, if her overprotective attitude of those Jaeger and Arlert brats was a testament to her parental skills. Yes, no one else was worthy enough to carry his progeny.

He looked down at her thin body, moving his callused hand down her abdomen to rest on her pale stomach. He could imagine it swelled up with his child growing inside. _But not yet._ He reminded himself, balling his fist. Absolutely nothing until this was all over… if it would ever end.

He felt his bed shift, jolting him from his musings, and looked to see her sitting up with her back to him. She was leaving.

"Oi, what are you doing?"

Mikasa slipped her shirt over her head. "We have an early morning tomorrow."

He lifted his brow. "So?" he said, lifting his arms to rest under the back of his head. "Just stay here. I'll kick you awake if you oversleep."

He looked over at her and saw tears forming in her eyes.

"Mikasa?"

She shook her head and stood to slip her pants on before leaving his room, slamming the door in the process.

She had been acting strange the past few weeks. The tiniest of things always seemed to trigger the oddest reactions. Something was going on, both emotionally and physically. Her face had gotten rounder. Not drastically, but enough to make him notice. And her skin, her beautiful skin seemed even softer to touch than before.

He didn't bother to go after her, though. She was right, after all. They _did_ have an early morning. He sighed and turned to his side, shutting off his lamp before welcoming sleep.

* * *

Mikasa woke the next morning to find herself tangled in her sheets, crashing to the floor. She landed with a hard thud on her back, the wind knocked out of her.

"About time, brat." A familiar voice called out.

She shot her head up and glared at the source, who was currently sitting in a chair beside her bed, arms crossed and legs resting on her mattress.

"You." She growled.

"Yes, me." He retorted, "You overslept."

"So you kicked me?!"

Levi raised his brow. "Did you think I was joking when I said I would kick you awake?"

She stood up, a little faster than she would have liked, and scowled at him. His expression remained indifferent. "Fuck you."

Before he could respond, a strong wave of nausea filled her senses, forcing her into the adjacent bathroom. He sighed and stood up, pinching the bridge of his nose. _'Fuck.'_

"Mikasa, this is the fourth day in a row."

"I'm fine." She coughed, her body hunched over the toilet.

He was getting frustrated. They were to head out of the walls in a few hours and one of his best squad members was clearly unfit for duty. There were less and less titans every time, a good sign for humanity, but as long as one existed, the threat was always the same.

"No, you're not." He admonished, walking over with a cloth to wipe her mouth. He touched her forehead, searching for a fever. "If you're coming down with something, you are to stay here and rest."

Her eyes shot up and met his with a glare. "You can't do that!"

He met her with his stoic expression, the one that always seemed to instill fear in the younger scouts. "I can, and I will."

He was right and she knew it. He was her superior. He could order her to do whatever the hell he wanted. "It's just nerves," she reasoned. "I'll be fine."

She moved to clean her face before walking back to her room. He followed suit, surprising her by wrapping his arms around her form in a protective embrace.

"I don't know what's going on with you," he started, "and I don't expect you to tell me. But I need you to be well."

"I'm fine." She replied, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Regardless, I want you to report to Hanji." He said, breathing in her scent. "If she gives you a clean bill of health, I expect you saddled up and ready to go same time as everyone else."

"That won't be a problem."

"Good. Now get dressed. You're already late."

* * *

Hanji looked over Mikasa and the results from her urine and blood samples. The normally cheerful woman seemed even more excited than usual.

'_A dangerous omen,'_ the younger girl mused.

"You're as healthy as ten horses, Mikasa! …though I am surprised at your carelessness. Are you sure you still want to go out? Of course, I have never questioned your abilities out on the field. The last thing you should do is over-exert yourself. Oh, I remember from years ago…"

Mikasa nodded, not saying a word. In her hands, she held a cup of ginger tea.

Hanji continued to rant, informing the girl on how to properly maintain her health, until an irritated Levi came knocking on the door.

"Oh, Corporal!" Hanji exclaimed, "I didn't see you there!"

"Is Ackerman fit for duty? She was due at the stables an hour ago."

"Perfectly healthy! And if I may offer my cong-"

But she was cut off by Mikasa's sudden coughing fit.

Levi gave Mikasa a strange look before Hanji appeared with a cup of small pills for the girl.

"These should help for today. Remember what I said." She then whipped around to face the captain. "Levi!" she shouted, suddenly very serious, "This girl is a very valuable asset to humanity. Do not overwork her today! Do not make her do more than she needs to do! I hope you realize what a miracle it has been for her to come in our lives! She is a gift that must alw-"

"Alright!"

He was caught completely off guard and wanted nothing more than to strangle the woman in front of him, who was currently in his face and poking his chest very hard.

Her eyes quickly softened. "Great!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I'll see you out there in a bit," before waving them off.

* * *

The expedition was mostly uneventful. Two titans came from the right flank, but were quickly disposed of. A couple injuries were recorded, mainly from human error. No casualties. Overall, it was a very successful day.

It was as they were stopped and preparing to leave when things went horribly awry. The sun was hiding behind a cloud, darkening the sky. A gust of wind sent shivers up a few spines. A couple horses bucked into the air before being caught by their respective owners. Armin noticed their strange behavior first.

"Hey Jean, doesn't it seem quiet to you?" the small blonde asked.

The taller boy shook his head as he stretched his hands in the air before yawning. "You're too jumpy Armin. There's nothing around for miles."

It was just after he spoke that a crash came from the forest behind the scouts. Hurried, booming, footsteps were heard coming towards them fast.

Levi scowled and immediately shot the blue flare to retreat in the air. With Commander Erwin and Hanji too far off to relay anything, getting the tired scouts out fast was the only option. There was no telling what they were going to be up against and night was soon approaching. The only ones who remained were those in his squad, already high in the tree branches ready for what was coming. Their orders were to give those heading back to the wall a good head start. He leapt up to the branch to stand beside Mikasa.

"It's coming fast." She said, her eyes fixed on the darkness in front of her.

He nodded. "Then you know what to do."

They looked at each other silently, their eyes saying everything their voices wouldn't.

_Be safe. _

A single 15 meter titan came crashing through the trees, its arms swinging wildly, too dangerous for the others to get too close to the nape of its neck.

Levi and Mikasa sprang into action. Dancing in unison, they flipped from the tree and spun into the titans face, swinging their blades furiously in an effort to blind it. Mikasa actually pierced its eyeball, detaching it from the socket. She jumped away as an arm swung to grab her, landing safely in a nearby tree, the giant eyeball still attached to her blade.

It was in that moment of distraction that the unexpected happened. In the time it took her to switch her blades and look back up, a swinging arm came straight back for her, hitting her front and sending her falling to the ground below. Levi raced to catch her while the others made quick work of disposing the giant. Silence again.

"Mikasa!" His voice was frantic. He wasn't sure where she was cut, but blood was everywhere.

She opened her eyes and smiled apologetically at the man she had come to love before convulsing in pain. "I'm sorry."

"What? No, it's-" He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Mikasa, look at me!"

But she was limp.

It was when he looked down and saw the pool of blood underneath her that he knew something far worse was wrong. Her pants were stained red and she was becoming paler by the second.

Levi cut off her 3D maneuvering gear and loaded her onto his horse before racing back to headquarters. The others would follow.

_Mikasa, don't leave me._

* * *

"_How long?"_

"_Levi, I don't-"_

"_Damn it, Hanji! Tell me! How long?!"_

"_A-about three months."_

* * *

Mikasa woke the next morning. She was bruised and sore, but otherwise alright. Her eyes darted around the infirmary, but no one was in sight. She was alone.

Sighing, she placed a hand over her lower stomach, letting a single tear fall. "I'm sorry."

"_Why didn't you tell me?"_

She turned her head to see Levi standing by the doorway, his face emotionless.

She looked back up to the ceiling. "Tell you what?"

"Don't fuck around with me, Ackerman!" he growled, "You know full damn well what! How could you go out like that?! You were pregnant! With my child! _Our_ child…"

She remembered back to the disdain she saw in his eyes when fellow troops would announce their upcoming additions. _'Fools,'_ he would say.

"You wouldn't have wanted it, anyway." she whispered, barely audible. "That titan did you a favor."

Levi froze. His heart caught in his throat. "How can you say that?"

"You're so stupid, you know," she said, eyes still fixed on the ceiling. "How could you not expect this to happen after everything we've done? For someone who doesn't want children, you don't try to take any precautions. It has always been me alone."

"Mikasa,"

"I went out because it was my duty. I am not weak. I can-"

Levi closed the distance between them and grabbed her face with his hand, forcing her to look at him. His face was not kind.

"I should slap you," he told her, his eyes piercing her like daggers, "for thinking like that."

He let go of her with a forceful shove. They stared at each other for a long time, daring the other to break the silence. Outside the wind could be heard softly tapping tree branches against the window; children's laughter floating in.

It was Levi who finally relented. _'It's now or never.'_

He pulled a small black box from his jacket pocket and tossed it next to her on the bed. She opened it to reveal a silver ring inside. There were no jewels, just an etched design of some sort wrapped around it. Two etched lines, intertwined, swirling round the band.

"Marry me." he told her. It wasn't a question.

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he spoke matter-of-factly.

"I killed your child. You are under no obligation."

"_Our_child," he corrected, "and it wasn't your fault."

"I will make you miserable."

"I highly doubt that, Mikasa."

"I can't cook."

"I can."

"Or clean."

"What a shitty reason."

Mikasa remained silent. They both knew she was out of excuses.

She looked down and frowned at her flat stomach.

"But your baby." She whispered, her eyes brimming with tears.

Levi knew she felt guilty. At first he almost wanted her to. He spent the entire night pacing the wooden floor of his room hoping she would wake up alone; a petty act he foolishly thought would punish her somehow. By first light he felt a pang of guilt for abandoning her side and cursed himself for being so stupid before running off back to the infirmary ward.

He moved to sit beside her on the bed, bringing her up so her back was to his chest, and grabbed the box holding the ring.

"How many times do I have to tell you it was ours? Not just mine. You lost just as much as I did." He said, plucking the ring from its container. He saw tears sneaking down her cheek as he reached for her hand.

"We can have more, ten if you want, but only if you agree to be my wife." He slipped the ring on her finger and held onto her tight. "I want to have a family with you, Mikasa Ackerman," he whispered, "but I want to do this the right way."

She turned to face him and kissed his lips hard. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and kissed back with equal fervor, allowing his fingers to slide up her cheek and entangle themselves in her onyx hair.

She agreed, but she would spend this moment mourning the one that was lost.

* * *

**There are no words to describe the level of anxiety I felt posting this. **

**The next one is nothing but fluff. It involves a wedding and touches on a headcanon, so it may or may not be spoiler free. If I can get it to look presentable, I'll try to post it before the week is out. **

**-VG-**


	3. Chapter 3

**Nothing but fluff here. Fluff _everywhere. _**

**There aren't really any spoilers, but this touches on a headcanon that has been floating around tumblr. Then ch. 56 of the manga came out and everyone lost it... **

**Enjoy the fluffs!**

* * *

Soft gusts of wind carried dried leaves and flower petals through the empty streets, appearing as though they were dancing in the pale moonlight. A small mouse carrying discarded bread crumbs scurried safely into its hole away from a stalking cat. Silence. That night the district of Karanese was calm and quiet. In a small cottage just outside of the Survey Corps barracks, a single candle could be seen softly flickering in a window.

Wearing only his lounging pants, Levi sat by his wooden desk, placing the small box of matches down beside the white candle. He watched as the moonlight floated in from the small bedroom window and mixed with the glow of the candle's flame, caressing the curves of his naked bride who lay asleep in their bed. He glanced around their bare room, resisting the urge to tidy the clothes they tossed about the floor in their haste to explore one another's body. Boxes filled with their belongings sat downstairs, largely ignored for the time being. He could hardly believe that less than ten hours ago, he and Mikasa were holding each other's hands, in front of what felt like the whole district, making their wedding vows to one another. Neither had wanted anything remotely close to the extravagant ceremony they were subject to, but the whole affair was largely and utterly out of their control.

Since their last expedition nearly a year ago, no titan had ever been spotted. That didn't mean they could leave the corps, though. While some still held onto the fear that the worst was yet to come, many, many more believed it was all over, that humanity could rebuild and thrive once again.

Their union was essentially a beacon of hope. Once word got out that the infamous 'Humanity's Strongest Duo' was to finally wed, plans went into full swing - plans made by everyone else _but_ the couple in question. Flowers Mikasa had never seen before were brought in from Sina, decorations were hung all over the district, and it seemed as if every person and family within the walls offered congratulations and gifts to the new couple. They included anything from whatever cash families could spare to furnishings for their new home. Their union meant it was safe to rebuild, safe to remember what they had been fighting for all these years.

Despite the large turnout of people, things were kept as informal as possible. Levi wore simple black slacks with a white button-up shirt along with his cravat, Mikasa in a faded lilac dress she had stored away from years ago. Eren had somehow managed to convince her to remove her red scarf, now discolored and tattered, for the short ceremony on the condition he had it on hand _immediately_ after.

"It's only 15 minutes." Levi reassured her, sensing her distress as they stood together before Commander Erwin, who was kind enough to officiate for the two. He looked back at the older man and gave him a look as if saying, _'Make it quick.'_

As a wedding gift, Erwin arranged for them to live in the small cottage. It wasn't fancy by any means, but it did give them the privacy they had both so desperately wanted.

"We're married now?" Mikasa breathed as Levi led her to a seat in the survey corps dining hall, which was decorated as a makeshift reception room. Even though they couldn't control the attendance at the ceremony, he made sure the small gathering afterwards afterwards _stayed_ small.

Pushing a lock of hair behind her ear before kissing her soft neck, he nodded. "You're stuck with me, Ackerman."

"_Ackerman?"_ a familiar voice called from behind the couple. It was Eren. With Armin, Connie, Sasha, and Jean in tow, the group approached the two to offer their congratulations. They couldn't help but voice their thoughts out loud.

"Heichou took Mikasa's name?"

"Does this mean he's her wife?"

"Ah, it's no wonder…"

Mikasa buried her face in her palms. Levi growled. "Oi! One more word and you brats will be shoveling horse shit for the next ten years!"

The group straightened their backs and saluted their corporal before shouting in unison, "Yes, heichou!"

"Hn."

* * *

A slight shiver stirred Mikasa from her slumber. She rolled over, extending her arm, expecting to find the warmth of her lover, now husband, sleeping next to her. Her hand met empty space.

She opened her eyes and lifted her head. "Levi?"

Pulled from his thoughts, Levi moved his gaze to meet Mikasa's.

"I'm here."

She sighed in relief. "I thought you left."

He stood from his chair by the window and slipped into bed, pulling her to rest over his chest. "And where would I have gone?" he asked, drawing small circles with his fingers on her back.

"I don't know. Beyond the walls?" She answered, tracing the outline of the muscles on his abdomen.

He looked down at her and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Not without you by my side."

She rolled over to straddle his hips. "Even if you were ordered to?"

"Even then."

Lowering herself, she placed a light kiss just below his navel. Levi let out a slight hiss of air and grabbed her hair, just enough to catch her attention.

"I don't think you realize what you do to me, woman."

Mikasa smirked. She glanced up at his chest and for the first time actually took notice of how many battle wounds he had acquired over the years. Levi caught her eyeing the most recent ones and answered her silent question.

"They're just scars, Mikasa. You aren't responsible for any of them." He was referring to the fateful expedition that resulted in his stay at the infirmary and the beginning of their courtship. "Besides, we might not be here today if I hadn't gotten caught."

"I knew I loved you in that moment." She admitted. "I just didn't know what it was." Slowly, she made her way up his stomach, leaving open mouthed kisses over little scars and bruises. She looked over to his left arm and saw an unusual shape on his wrist no bigger than an inch in diameter. It looked almost familiar, though she couldn't place it. How she never noticed it before was beyond her.

"I've had it since I was young. I don't remember how I got it." he said, once more answering an unasked question. Her eyes were so easy to read.

'_Since you were young?'_ Her thoughts immediately went to her childhood days with her mother and father - before they were murdered. She remembered her mother holding a blade to her tiny wrist, carving a small design before wrapping it. She remembered the little droplets of blood being caught in the bandage and the sharp pain that followed.

Instinctively she lifted her own wrist to see a faint scar, barely visible, and traced the design with the pads of her fingers. She held it next to his and watched as the moonlight danced upon their skin. The designs were exactly the same.

Levi's eyes widened.

Mikasa's voice trembled. "A-are we?"

"I don't even know what it means."

"When I was younger, my mother did this to me." She started, "She told me it was the symbol of our clan that passed from generation to generation…"

They both sat in a stunned silence. After all this time together, neither could understand how such a huge thing had slipped past them. They were the last descendants (as far as they knew) of a clan wiped out long ago.

"I thought I was alone." Mikasa whispered.

Levi's lips curled up into a smile as he hooked his arm around her waist, flipping her onto her stomach underneath him. He slid her hair to the side before gingerly placing wet kisses onto the back of her pale neck, sending shivers up her spine. She could feel him getting hard on her thigh.

"You were never alone, Mikasa," he whispered, sliding his pants off, "Never."

The sounds of her moaning his name as he entered her for the second time that night echoed through the halls of their home. In the coming years he hoped it would be filled with the cries and laughter of children, sounds of happiness, sounds that could only come from a family. For now Levi was content having his wife solely to himself.

* * *

***hides***

**This is all I have for now on this power couple. I don't want it to end here, but I'm kind of drawing blanks. If you want more, please send me prompt ideas! **

**Thank you everyone who left such lovely reviews. They made me feel more confident about my writing. :)**

**-VG-**


	4. Chapter 4

**I found a muse!**

**I like numbers. Especially perfect ones.**

**This is a long one that I actually had to split into a couple parts. I have to apologize in advance, though. There is a very high possibility you may not like what you read. I accept whatever punishment is deemed appropriate.**

* * *

"_Oi_, did you hear a word I said?"

"Did _you_ hear a word I said?"

The air was tense that morning as they sat at the small oak table in their dining area. Like every morning the past year of their marriage, he sat in his place at the head, she to the left in hers. It wasn't so much a display of power as it was an easier access point for him to the cleaning supplies. He liked the table to be cleared and wiped down after every meal. The other four seats remained empty and largely untouched, save for those few instances when the occasional visitor would spill in. Mikasa had a small cup of black tea pressed to her lips, her eyes closed, only half listening to the report Levi was relaying from Erwin when she decided to spill news of her own.

"Why, of all moments, would you choose to say that now?"

She took one more sip before placing her cup down next to her untouched omelet. She rarely ate, anyway. "I thought you should be the first to know."

"Yeah, when we're fucking in bed, or eating dinner, or hell, when one of us is taking a shit; _not _when I'm in the middle of telling you those goddamn colonies have been under attack and we're the ones that have to go out into god knows what!"

"I thought this was Military Police work."

"_Inside_ the walls," he told her, pressing the bridge of his nose. "They're too chicken shit to step foot outside."

"Oh."

It was a stressful situation. First it started with three brave groups ready to see if there could be life outside of the walls. After four months of success, three colonies turned into seven, quickly growing to ten, and not a titan in sight. Those first few months showed great progress. The colonies established their own small governments, began growing crops, building homes and families. Other families within the walls soon followed their braver predecessors and left to see what fortune they could find, inadvertently improving the economic situation for those who still resided within. Their efforts were almost ready to be declared a success… until the bi-weekly reports to Erwin stopped coming in from the most recently developed colony, otherwise known as Settlement 10. A month later, Settlement 9 also failed to report its status. Settlement 8's reporting date was two days ago, exactly one month to the day, and like the two before, it didn't appear. It was too fixed a timetable to be a coincidence and too risky to make public, so it had been decided a select few would go out and assess the situation in two weeks' time. There they could make the decision to evacuate or defend against whatever threat they may face, if there was one at all.

Four squad leaders were assigned, each leading groups of twelve to the last four developed colonies. The group headed to Settlement 8 was to be led by Mikasa. It had been a unanimous decision between Erwin, Hanji, and Levi. She had proven herself more than worthy of leading her own squad. _But now…_

He slammed his hand on the table.

"You're turning in your uniform. Today."

"What?"

"You heard me. Go change into civilian clothing and hand in your uniform."

She narrowed her eyes, finally understanding his intent. "I thought I was getting my own squad."

"Yeah, you were, right before you told me you were fucking pregnant."

* * *

Levi watched from the window as Mikasa violently chopped away at the logs of firewood piled on the side of their house. The only reasons he had let her stay out there so long was because the colder months were coming (they needed the wood) and she really needed to vent her frustrations out on anything other than him.

Their heated argument that morning quickly escalated into a full-blown fight, complete with punches and kicks to bring the other down. Mikasa had initiated the majority of it. Levi mainly blocked her hits and made sure she didn't hurt herself or their unborn child. Frustrated it was getting them nowhere, he finally saw his opening and swept his leg underneath hers, forcing her to fall off balance and sending her toppling to the floor. He trapped her prone form with his own, effectively holding down her legs and wrists lest she get any more ideas.

His face hovered over hers as he glared into her dark, bloodlust-filled eyes. "Submit."

"Never." She bit out through clenched teeth.

She struggled more, but he held firm.

"_Submit."_ He repeated, lowering his head, his lips just barely brushing the outer edge of her ear.

She gasped.

He smirked.

She growled.

Somehow managing to wriggle a leg free, she took her split-second window of opportunity and hooked it around his torso before successfully shoving him off of her. As they scrambled up and stood staring at each other, both breathing heavy and ready to strike, she soon realized it was a fruitless battle. The only thing she had succeeded in doing was enraging him even further – something she had never intended in the first place, but he just _had_ to open his mouth. There would be no way she could get around disobeying his orders this time.

It was decided.

"Fine, heichou. You win."

Without waiting for another word, she turned on her heel and stomped upstairs to their bedroom. A short while later, she came stomping back down wearing a long, lavender-colored skirt and grey collared blouse. She shoved her bundled uniform hard into his chest and continued her angry march out of the house to the world outside, headed straight for the wood pile she was currently chopping into bits.

'It was for the best.' He kept reminding himself, reminding her. He should have been happy. He _wanted_ to be happy. They were going to be a family. But she was so goddamn stubborn. She could argue all she wanted; he was not going to risk the life of this child. It was safer if she stayed away from their work. He told her this repeatedly, but as expected, his words only fell on deaf ears.

Levi turned to her uniform, now pressed and hanging against the doorframe. She never expressed interest in leading her own squad before. Why now? He was not looking forward to explaining this to Erwin, who was actually due to arrive soon to further explain the upcoming mission.

"Right on fucking cue." He muttered, hearing the door knock.

* * *

They sat for a long while discussing the new circumstances. Every so often they would glance out the window to the angry woman wielding an axe outside. Levi refused to let Erwin even entertain the thought of sending Mikasa out, so the older man eventually let the issue go. Things were certainly changed, but three squads instead of four wouldn't hurt the expedition a great deal. It would just carry out longer than planned and, for once, funding was not an issue. Their conversation was put to a halt when a sweaty Mikasa came walking in, her scowl still planted firmly on her face. Both men stood.

"Hello, sir." She greeted.

Erwin nodded to her.

She cocked her head at Levi. "I wanted a glass of water. Or do I need permission for that as well?"

Erwin snorted, now knowing the reason why the two were acting so terse. Their body language was not lost on him. Levi glared in his direction.

"I'll let myself out," he said, grabbing his notes. "Congratulations, you two."

Levi followed him to the door and slammed it shut as Erwin walked out into the afternoon sun. He kept his back to his wife.

"Go wash your hands. I'll make tea."

A talk she didn't want to have was coming. She would humor him… for now.

She walked into the kitchen minutes later to find a small plate of biscuits placed beside a porcelain teacup on the countertop for her. She took the cup, ignoring the plate, and inhaled the aroma. Soft, fruity wafts laced with pine hit her nose, a stark contrast to its flavor of bitter smokiness. Perfect. Warm. Soothing. Levi sat at the table silently drinking from his own cup.

"You know this is all for the baby, Mikasa." He finally said. His voice was tired, almost apologetic. She lifted her eyes to glance at the back of his head and took a quiet step forward.

He took her silence as a sign to continue.

"Should anything happen-" he paused. "I told you I would protect you as best I could." He turned, surprised she was soon right beside him. Looking into her eyes, he carefully placed an open palm over her stomach. "And that includes our child."

She didn't try to push him away.

"I'm not your superior in this, but I need you to trust me. Keeping you as far from danger as possible will keep it safe. It will be protected. Loved."

She stared at him for a moment, taking in all he said. The game was changed. It wasn't an ideal situation, but she realized it was about more than her. If he failed, he needed to be assured the child had someone. He was scared. She softened her eyes and placed her hand over his. "Okay, Levi. I trust you."

* * *

The days leading up to the scout's departure were filled with preparations for their new addition. The room they used as storage was emptied and filled with whatever baby items they could find. The baby itself wasn't due for a while, so they had time to organize and plan. Every day Levi would record Mikasa's weight, made sure she actually ate the meals he prepared for her, and documented everything in a notebook he kept locked in his desk. He would allow nothing to get by him. Mikasa found it endearing. No one could have expected their happiness to be so short lived.

The evening before the expedition, Erwin was reviewing Settlement coordinates with squad leaders when Armin suddenly burst in his office, searching frantically for Levi. His sweaty, disheveled appearance bode ill news.

"Heichou, come quick! It's Mikasa!"

Levi immediately dropped everything and left the room, dragging Armin along with him.

"Explain, Arlert. Now."

His strides grew faster the more Armin stuttered through his words. Mikasa fell over in pain. His _wife _fell over in pain. Mikasa _never_ fell over in pain.

"She locked herself in the bathroom nearly three hours ago!" the boy cried, "She was sick earlier, but said it was nothing the first time she came out. That maybe she ate something bad. But then she ran back in almost a half hour later… She didn't want to unnecessarily alarm you, so I waited, but… by the time she started crying in pain… I- I ran out to find you. I was gone so long, I don't know if she is still in there or not."

Levi barreled through the front door only to find his home dark and quiet. The only source of light came from the dim flickering of the lamp in the main sitting room. He expected to find everything in disarray, to analyze the hysteria in front of him and decide a first course of action. This… unnerved him.

He turned to Armin, who stood in a calculative silence. "Arlert, go find Hanji. A physician- any kind of doctor. Go now."

The blonde nodded and ran off. The sky was getting darker, the first stars of the night just barely becoming visible.

Levi slowly made his way further into the house. He looked towards the bathroom and saw the door was slightly ajar. Had she fallen unconscious? Was it really just a small bout of sickness? He made careful steps in that direction until he heard her soft voice call from behind him.

"Liar."

He spun around to see her sitting hunched on the floor, alone in the dark, surrounded by the few baby items they collected the past few days. Tiny clothes were torn apart; a stuffed doll emptied of its contents. As he stepped closer he noticed she was a sickly pale color. Her face was covered in sweat. It didn't take him more than a minute to put two and two together.

"Mikasa…"

Immediately upon hearing his voice, she perked her head and narrowed her eyes on him, giving him a look he had only seen on her once before. It was the same look she had as a girl of fifteen, forced to watch in a courtroom of her peers as he, Levi, beat her brother within an inch of his life. Her clenched jaw, slanted eyes filled with malice, and furrowed brow told him she was ready to go on a rampage.

"Liar." It was almost a growl.

There was no one to hold her back as she stood to come face to face with him. He didn't stop her as her right hand connected to his cheek once, twice, three times. The sharp slaps echoed throughout the empty house.

"I trusted you." She spat, slapping him once more. "You lied!"

He held his jaw and looked at her with wide eyes. "How?"

"In the bathroom."

He slowly made his way to the small room, barely big enough to comfortably hold one person. Ignoring the tiny droplets of blood littered around the toilet bowl, he let out a heavy breath of air and peered down. Years of handling blood and gore, often by his own doing, could never have prepared him for what he saw next. He had to fight the urge to fall to his knees. There, floating in a small pool of red, was a tiny form, no bigger than his pinky finger, but unmistakably human in shape. Unmistakably his.

* * *

**WHATS WRONG WITH ME?! I swear I'll give them a baby soon! I have prompts!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I found mistakes in the last chapter! Nothing major, but enough to tick me off. I edited it and now it looks more presentable...**

**And regarding their little fist fight, these two just strike me as the type of couple who settle everything by sparring.**

**"Your turn to wash the dishes, sweetheart."**

**"Like hell!"**

***punches ensue***

**Ok, not exactly like that, but you get what I mean…**

**ONWARD!**

* * *

In the end, it was humanity itself that destroyed the very freedom they had sacrificed for. In a matter of weeks, the once thriving colonies established outside the walls were reduced to nothing more than decaying slums riddled with plague. Thieves, they had been told, came quite literally like burglars in the night with weapons in hand and shameful lust in their eyes, snatching young women from their homes along with any valuables they could find. Husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons were left defenseless as they watched their loved ones brutally ripped away from them, only to find themselves soon at the receiving end of gun barrels and blades. Even the handful of stationary guard posted in each colony stood little chance against the band of murderous men. Too long had they spent their days in peace, easily neglecting their combat training in favor of more pleasurable pastimes. They paid for it with their lives.

The few who managed to survive immediately wished they hadn't. Baked by the afternoon sun each passing day, rotted flesh of the dead littered the streets, giving way to disease. The scouting squads assigned to Settlements 8 and 9, with Erwin and Hanji among them, were stunned silent at the sight that lay before their eyes. Never before had they seen such illness spread so quickly, even in the slums within the walls. They were left with little choice but to wait for the last of the dying to pass and to build funeral pyres to dispose of the many bodies. Those responsible for their deaths moved on long ago, headed for the next colony, no doubt ready to echo their previous actions. Luckily the trek from Settlement 8 to Settlement 7 was a much longer journey than the others. This would buy those villagers some time. Their only hope was that Levi and his squad weren't too late to put those disgraces to the human race to a stop.

But even humanity's strongest wasn't immortal.

* * *

Levi was getting too old for this shit. The rapid thumping of his heart muffled out the sounds of screams and gunfire around him. He could feel the click of his boots on cobblestone as he ran down a narrow pathway, dodging whizzing bullets in the process. He couldn't be sure how many attackers he had on his tail, nor where the rest of his squad scattered off to, but he knew he had to think of something and quick. Long gone were the days where a simple leap into the air and a swish of blades solved nearly everything. Titans, though formidable, were predictable; humans never were.

His entire squad was caught in an ambush even the tactic genius, Armin, was too blind to see. The burning home and frantic screams within only served as a distraction as a band of ten to fifteen rogue men descended upon them, forcing them into a gunfight and a battle of wits. Those poor souls inside never stood a chance. One by one, his squad ran for cover, taking out at least three who dared shoot upon them with the now standard issue handguns required of all military personnel. Their 3DMG were rarely used these days.

At first he scoffed at the idea of having to rely on a device so quick to kill with little to no thought of the being before him, especially when such devices were simple enough for even a simpleton to operate. There was nothing elegant about having your brains blown out by an idiot with poor aim, but as he hid behind the walls of an empty house, fingering the two devices holstered beneath his short brown coat, Levi was glad to be equally matched to his pursuers.

'Tch. As if they even come anywhere close to my skill.'

Sophistication had nothing to do with it.

He closed his eyes and listened. They were still a ways off, but he could hear the rushed stomping of their paces, the gruffness of their voices as they made their way closer. Three, no more than four, were headed in his direction in search of the, "shorty who ran off like a crying pussy." How eloquent.

Lifting his lids, his gaze darted around at his surroundings, already forming a plan of action to dispose of them. There was enough cover for him to make himself seen once, ensuring they looked into his cold eyes before he blasted them all to hell. Blood was blood, and he wasn't in a forgiving mood. He would take no prisoners today. Fuck Erwin's orders. There was nothing to learn from these pieces of shit.

Of course, he of all people should have known better than to assume anything ever goes to plan.

Just as he was about to make himself seen, a small flash of pink darted beside an opening to rest behind the wall across the pathway directly in front of him. He thought his eyes were playing tricks until he saw a small dark tuft of hair reveal itself, closely followed by a much larger figure carrying a long, blood-stained blade. Hazel-colored eyes peeked out from behind the grey stone wall just as the figure in question revealed his dirty face, his arm raised, ready to strike. Without a second thought, Levi shot one bullet directly to the exposed chest. The man froze, dropping his blade, and staggered forward before falling to the ground with a hard thud. At the sound of the loud bang and the dead body now inches away, tears quickly welled into doe-like saucers before a soft cry was released, revealing a child who ran from its safe space from behind the wall and towards him – into the line of fire.

'Fucking hell…'

Before they could let out more than a shout of surprise, Levi burst from behind his wall, taking a protective stance in front of the tiny body now curled in a ball, pistols steady in each hand, and shot. A mist of red slowly wafted into the air before two burly men fell flat on their backs, a smoking hole planted deeply into the center of their foreheads. Hardening his gaze, he aimed again, hitting another directly in the heart, the other at the shoulder. He didn't feel the bullet hit him before he shot again and watched as the man fell face-forward to the hard ground below him, nor did he notice the circle of blood that stained his jacket slowly expanding. He did, however, hear the shouts from off in the distance. Quickly reaching down, he threw the small child behind him over his shoulder and took off running again, darting between wooden homes and abandoned carriages, until he came face to face with a breathless Eren and Armin. They were shocked to see their corporal cradling a small, ebony-haired boy, no older than six in appearance, dressed in nothing but tattered clothing and dirt smudging his face. His dirty, pink sweater was three times his size and was likely something he found cast out by its previous owner. The steady droplets of blood hitting the floor hauled the two back to their senses.

"Heichou!" Armin gasped, his eyes now fixated on Levi's bleeding wound. "We managed to capture two, but eight got away. The rest are dead."

"I jus' took out five back there." Levi slurred. His vision was becoming blurry. _'Shit.'_

"Five?!" Eren exclaimed in disbelief.

Armin didn't say a word, instead directing his attention on attaching a makeshift tourniquet for the man's arm before he lost any more blood. "Heichou, we need to take you to the medics. They've already set up just outside the northern farmstead. You've been shot."

"No shit. Take the kid." He sighed, trying to place the boy onto the floor. Instead of letting go, however, the small child held on tighter, shouting out a resounding "No!" before burying his head into Levi's neck.

"H-hey, little boy," Eren stammered, reaching for a thin arm, "We're going to help you find your mom and dad."

The boy buried his head even more, slapping away Eren's outstretched hand. "No!"

"What's your name?" Armin encouraged, hoping to try from another angle.

"Ian." Came his muffled reply. He had a slight accent to his voice, though none could quite place where it came from.

"Hi, Ian. We're going to go find lost families and help them find each other. Would you like to come help us?"

"NO!"

Levi sighed. "I don't have time for this." Without warning, he used his good arm and ripped the boy from his chest, letting him fall hard on his hands and knees. The boy cried out before Levi lifted him by the collar to stand, eyeing the fresh wounds. "Tch. Looks like the brat fell and cut himself, anyway. I'll have to take him to the medics with me. You have his name. Find his family." He grabbed the boy roughly by the arm and walked off.

* * *

There were far more dead than Levi had anticipated. His interrogation of the two captives brought unsurprising results. The band of idiots were nothing more than trigger-happy defectors hoping to make fast money through slave trade - never mind that human trafficking was now illegal and closely monitored since the first colonists set out in search of a new life all those months ago. Logic never came into play, apparently. He would take them back and let Erwin deal with them.

As he walked through rows of the injured, he wondered if the boy, Ian, found his family. The brat seemed way too scared at the prospect of going back to his parents and Levi couldn't help but speculate on his home life. Did he even have a family? He never bothered to ask. As soon as he found an available medic to treat the boy's knees, he disappeared into the panicked crowd in search of someone to tend to his own bullet wound.

He continued on, his arm now treated and wrapped and in a sling, half of his attention focused on searching out the child, the other half in contemplative thought. The sun was slowly setting, dusk just moments away. The nights were growing colder. Would he freeze to death? The brat was annoying, but he would never wish death upon him.

'Ah, Mikasa's made me soft.' He disdainfully thought to himself. 'That brat is none of my concern.'

"Looks like someone has a second shadow." A raspy voice laced with amusement called out.

Levi turned to face an older woman, covered from the chest down in a heavy blanket, resting supine upon a mat among the other seriously wounded. She looked very frail, like the slightest gust of wind could easily carry her beaten body away. Her grey hair was matted with blood. He couldn't tell if it was her own or not, but something told him she didn't have much longer for this world, anyway. His eyes followed her knowing gaze to find Ian standing a distance away, eyes firmly locked on Levi as if to give chase should he disappear on him again. He was alone.

"Oi!" he yelled, startling the child, "Go home!"

"Go easy on her, boy." The woman chastised in a grainy voice, no doubt the result of a lifetime of smoking.

"Her?" He questioned. The child certainly looked like young a boy. Perhaps this old woman was senile.

She nodded. "That's young Helen Reynard. The poor, stubborn, fool has no home to go to. Her family left Stohess for this place. Damn fools, if you ask me. They were one of the first to die off after that first epidemic we had. Left her a homeless orphan living off of scraps and who knows what else. She won't leave this place." She paused, eyeing his uniform. "I've never seen her take such a liking to someone so quick before, though. It took me a month to get close enough to give her a new change of clothes, even though she still keeps that ratty pink sweater."

"She told me her name was Ian."

The old woman gave a raspy chuckle before falling into a coughing fit. Levi pulled out his small canteen and knelt down to hold it to the woman's mouth. She took a small gulp before thanking him. "I gave her that name …and those clothes. They belonged to my boy when he was a toddler. He joined the Garrison years ago and never looked back. Can't say I blame him. At least something of his was put to good use." Her eyes glazed over as she paused, reminded of some distant memory. She shook her head and waved her hand. "Ah, anyway, I'm guessing she ran to you as soon as the attacks started?"

Levi nodded.

The old woman sighed and closed her eyes. "Figures," she said, "After all those stories I used to tell her, she _would_ run to the first man in uniform she sees. She's determined to bring my boy back to me. But he ain't coming back. He's gone."

He didn't have to ask what happened to her son, so he didn't. "Why dress her like a boy?"

She gave him a disdainful look. "Do you forget what those… those _things _did here?" she spat, motioning her arm for him to look around them. "Little Helen used to run around in a little blue dress, scarcely avoiding all sorts of mishaps, before I finally caught her and threw those old clothes on her. Took even longer to get her to let me cut her hair and rename her. You should have seen the way _these_ older men looked at her. A young girl with pretty black hair and no one to watch over her… Far better to run about these streets as a dodgy boy than girl, that's for sure." She eyed the pewter band wrapped around his left ring finger.

"You got kids yourself, corporal?"

That wasn't a question he expected to hear. He gave her a hard look and stood, ready to walk away. The old woman told him everything he needed to know about Ian – no, Helen. He didn't need to get personal with a sick old woman. He didn't need yet _another_ person giving him superficial sympathies over something they knew nothing about.

"Touched a nerve there, did I?" her bitter laugh gave way to another coughing fit.

"I hardly see how this is of concern to you." He responded, coldly, his back turned to her.

She laughed entirely way too much for someone who could hardly breathe.

"Humor a dying old woman."

Humor? He was expected to_ humor_ an old woman with his own personal tragedies? He just spent the last few days vehemently denying any attachment to that dead fetus he foolishly thought would grow into his child. He wasted a good portion of his life fighting for the future of, what? A brave new world? If today was any indication of humanity's future, they were all obviously under false illusions. Humanity's strongest couldn't even –

"You aren't the only parent to lose a child, you know?"

He widened his eyes at the old woman's declaration. How could she have known?

"I know that look. I had it once myself. It'll do you some good to talk about it."

He sighed. He hated to admit it, but she was partially right. Replays of that day had been invading his mind every minute of every day since then, no doubt clouding his judgment. Maybe it would help to talk – just to get it out of his mind once and for all. Maybe then he could get some peace. She wasn't going to live much longer, anyway. What did he have to lose?

"My wife-." He started, and then frowned. "We… cannot." He furrowed his brows, suddenly unable to voice what he had repeated hundreds of times in his head. Perhaps it was more difficult than he thought. "Her body can't."

"Start at the beginning." She gently urged.

He remembered back to the night he found Mikasa slumped over on the floor. Her angry sobs, the blood on the floor, the tiny mass of red and pink in their bathroom… Was he supposed to fish it out and bury it like a family pet? Flush it away? He didn't understand what he did wrong. Mikasa ate right, didn't overly strain herself… she was the epitome of healthy. It didn't make sense.

Armin wasn't gone much longer after he was sent to find a physician. Once word got out that something was wrong with the baby, everyone wanted to know what had happened. By the time the blonde came running back to the house, a mob of scouts and medics were trailing behind him. Hanji and the head physician tended to Mikasa while Erwin took Levi aside, trying to make sense of what the corporal was telling him.

"_You know they are making assumptions already."_ Erwin told him, his face rigid. _"Some even think it may have been intentional."_

He gave him a hard look, wishing for nothing more than to rip those giant fucking eyebrows off his stupid face. _"Let them think what they want. Just keep them away from Mikasa."_

By the time the physician came back with the news, all Levi could do was bury his head in his hands as Erwin offered a sympathetic hand on his slumped shoulder. They could have done nothing and everything, and still the outcome would have been the same.

"_Her uterus is too damaged from the events that caused the first miscarriage."_ The physician told him. _"It is very unlikely she will ever carry a child to full term."_

_The titans give and taketh away. _

"Oh, you poor dears." The woman whispered, jarring Levi from his thoughts. She wrapped her wrinkled hands around his.

He didn't try to pull away, instead giving her this moment. She looked like she needed it.

* * *

She didn't make it past the night, but they both knew she wouldn't, anyway. He watched over her as she struggled to breathe in the cold night, holding onto her hand as her grip tightened around his in fear of what was to come. Not everyone was destined to welcome death with a warm embrace, even if they thought they would. As the night wore on, her breaths became more shallow as she drifted in and out of consciousness. She finally breathed her last just as the sun crept over the horizon. A soft cry could be heard from Levi's silent shadow as he covered the woman's head with her blanket.

"NO!" she yelled, moving from her spot across the small dirt road to run to the old woman. She didn't know she was directly in the path of a couple running horses. She didn't know she was so small the riders couldn't have seen her, and otherwise may have stopped if they had. Levi may not have had to run out in the middle of the pathway to grab her with his one good arm in the nick of time, rescuing her yet again, but he did.

"Such a bothersome child." He grunted, setting her back down.

She cried out and ran back to the old woman's body, kneeling silently before it. He walked over and glanced over at the small girl. Her short cropped hair, tiny malnourished frame, and jaded eyes conveying no real discernible emotions reminded him of himself as a boy of ten, starving and struggling to survive in the harsh underground. It was obvious she had been without a home for a long while and would have certainly died without the old woman's help. He wouldn't doubt for a second if she hadn't already developed a few odd survival quirks.

He wasn't sure what came over him then, but there was no way to stop his words.

"Oi, Helen," he called, "that's your name isn't it?"

The girl nodded.

"When was the last time you ate?"

She shook her head.

It had probably been a few days since her last meal, if it was anything more than scraps. He looked over and saw the first of the scouts moving about their morning routines, some helping prepare the morning meals.

"Go on over there and tell them the Corporal said to give you some breakfast." He indicated to the two people currently huddled over a large steaming pot. "We're going to have a long couple days before we head home."

The girl quirked her head, her bright eyes shimmering in the morning light.

"Home?" she whispered. He didn't miss the excitement laced in her statement.

"We're evacuating half the colony. You obviously can't survive on your own out here."

* * *

"Helen! Don't eat so fast!" Eren shouted at the young girl as she shoved a second bowl of stew into her mouth. He was concerned she would make herself sick, and a vomiting six-year old was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

"I found extra dried meat!" Sasha interrupted, plopping herself down next to Eren at the wooden table. "Would you like some, Helen?"

The tiny girl smiled and reached for the offered meat

"Don't give her that! It'll get stuck in her teeth!"

Eren, Armin, and Sasha took on the responsibility of ensuring the girl got a proper meal that morning, now aware the young boy they met the day before was actually a girl. Levi disappeared to monitor the clean-up efforts. Before leaving, he gave them all explicit instructions to see she properly had her fill before they even considered clearing the table. They were all surprised to see their corporal actually show such concern for a child, let alone one as dirty as her, but they didn't question him.

"Helen, do you know what happened to your family?" Armin asked, trying to draw attention away from his two arguing friends sitting across from him.

She pointed to a pyre Levi was currently standing beside. "Papa."

"Oh, how sad. Her father is dead." Sasha said sadly, turning away from Eren for the moment.

"No!" she yelled, pointing again at Levi. "Petit papa."

In a language he vaguely remembered, Levi could have sworn he heard Helen yell 'little daddy' from the table, but her voice was so faint, he couldn't be sure. It was when he turned and saw her tiny mouth curve into a smile that he gave a faint smirk back, quickly replaced with a scowl once he realized what he was doing.

"Brat."

* * *

The journey home had been a nightmare. They were delayed an additional week after one of the three who had gotten away was found with his throat slit on the outskirts of town. Erwin, who had joined with Levi at Settlement 8 by this time, issued the order to sniff out the remaining two. They were found a few days later, one with a bullet wound to the stomach, the other with multiple stab wounds. It appeared they had turned against one another.

On the morning they were finally ready to leave, Levi found there were no available carts to carry Helen back as had been anticipated, or so Erwin told him. The other refugees seemed to have a place, but Erwin insisted she ride on horseback with Levi, much to the corporal's chagrin. She settled herself comfortably against his chest, enveloping herself in his green cloak for added warmth. His arm was still wrapped tightly in a sling, so he allowed her to help him with the reigns of his horse – not that he really needed it. She fiddled with the cloth of his cloak the entire ride, humming made up tunes and blatantly ignoring his orders for her to keep quiet. In a way, her deliberate indifference to his authority almost reminded him of Mikasa, and it pissed him off to no end. By the end of their first rest period of the day, he threw her into the arms of Erwin, who was more than happy to entertain the girl before they completed their journey for the night.

It was that night that ruined him.

After everyone had gone to sleep, fires snuffed out and first guards on watch, she walked carefully up to his sleeping mat, blanket in hand, and plopped down. Levi wasn't sure why he allowed her to snuggle up against him. He didn't know how she got under his covers, or why he wrapped his arm around her, as if concerned she may have been too cold, but still he allowed her in. By morning, he found her sleeping comfortably in the crook of his good arm, her small head resting against his chest, and he couldn't bring himself to wake her.

Erwin offered to take her for the day again, but Levi refused, saying it was time he pull his weight. A lame excuse, but he needed the day to study the slip of a girl who enjoyed dancing around with the other scouts, his green cloak flowing behind her.

"You make a good father, Levi." He told him with a smirk.

"Fuck off, Erwin."

She was young, defenseless, and only added more work on top of their already strenuous duties, yet somehow everyone had grown attached to the girl, eagerly volunteering to spend time with her each opportunity they had. Helen was understandably wary of their attentions at first, especially Hanji's after the woman tried to include the girl in one her more dangerous experiments, but soon warmed up to the entire regiment.

Now donning a white dress appropriate for a child her age, the female squad members had taken it upon themselves to clean and dress the girl properly, though they found it impossible to separate her from her ugly pink sweater. Levi later came to find out it had belonged to her mother. He knew better than to try and separate her from the ratty thing. Years of dealing with Mikasa's unhealthy attachment to her red scarf taught him that. One thorough scrubbing and several proper meals later, Helen looked nothing like the scrawny Ian Levi threw over his shoulder upon their first meeting. The only indication that showed her days wandering the streets was the hint of despondency hidden within her round hazel eyes. Every single person he had come to know had that look at some point. She was just as damaged as the rest of them.

He allowed her to stay wrapped in his cloak each day they spent riding, shielding her from the wind. She held tight to the horse's reigns, carefully following his instructions to maneuver the animal. Each night, he allowed her to curl up next to him, using his body heat for warmth against the chilly night air around them.

By evening the fourth day, they were finally home. The refugees were all given temporary living space at the Survey Corps headquarters until more proper arrangements had been worked out. His job now done, it was there Levi left a confused Helen with a concerned Erwin before walking back to Mikasa and their quiet home.

* * *

Nearly three weeks out and there was a decided change to the front of his small cottage. It seemed Mikasa had worked on her garden - almost obsessively - finally planting small violets he'd given her days before his departure. They sat proudly in a small planter on the windowsill, drinking up the last rays of sunlight that day. Below, it looked like she wanted a bit of everything in her small plot of land – even a plum tree. The days were becoming much colder, so her garden would lie dormant for some time. Come spring, their front yard would definitely be an explosion of color.

Mikasa watched from the window as Levi walked up the small pathway to their home, sucking in a sharp breath at the sight of his bandaged arm. A wave of shame and relief simultaneously washed through her, knowing he was at least now home and safe.

The past three weeks had been hell. Anger, grief, and resentment were all she could feel the night before he left, and she directed all of it at him. She didn't say a word as he walked out the door the next morning, instead choosing to stay in bed facing the wall with furrowed brows. It was the soft click of the lock put in place that finally brought her out of the room and downstairs to confront the mess left just hours before. She glanced around the empty house, at the abandoned pile of destroyed infant items, the open bathroom that remained untouched, and finally at the wooden box filled with unplanted violets left by the door. He brought those flowers home just days ago, knowing they were her favorite. She neglected to plant them, yet they still lived on as vibrant and purple as ever.

It must have been hours that she sat there, glaring at the inanimate objects around her, when an emphatic change snapped her senses. She stood, foregoing breakfast, and went straight to work, first cleansing the bathroom of all remnants of that night. It was long and emotionally draining work, but it gave her the strength to move on to the pile of destroyed baby things. Instead of disposing of everything as she first intended, she pulled a needle and thread from a sewing kit she had squirreled away and began to repair all she could. Her stitches were hesitant and sloppy at first, but gradually found a comfortable rhythm her mother would be proud of. By the time she was finished, the sun was long gone and she had an impressive pile of folded clothing, blankets, and even a couple dolls sitting beside her.

Still, her work was not done.

She made her way outside, shovel and lantern in hand, and began digging up the soil in front of the house. She dug well into the night, only stopping when her hands became blistered and exhaustion finally caught up with her. It took days, but she gathered all the plants she could and packed them into the loosened soil of her 8' by 8' garden. The plum tree she came upon by chance. It was small, damaged, and probably wouldn't produce any fruit in her lifetime, but she took it with her all the same, determined to get it to at least take root. She had to remove a few of her flowers to get the tree to fit, but she was satisfied with her work by the time she was finished. Glancing around, her home almost looked inviting, yet her husband was not there to marvel at the work with her, stirring a new emotion from within: guilt.

She felt guilty for hitting him, for calling him names, for abandoning him when she_ knew_ he needed her just as much as she needed him in that moment. The date of his scheduled arrival came and passed, and still he wasn't home. She didn't see him off. Her last words to him would have been, "You bastard." So many 'What if?' scenarios raced through her mind for days until finally, with no warning at all, there he was, walking up the dirt road leading to their home, his arm now in a sling.

She abandoned the pot of stew she was currently stirring and ran for the door, opening it as he stopped to inspect her garden work.

"Welcome home," A small smile graced her face as she took a tentative step over the threshold. Levi turned his head and returned the expression before she rushed to him, enveloping him in her arms. His shoulders relaxed as he took in her scent and ran his nose down the length of her exposed neck, wanting nothing more than to take her to bed and forget the entire expedition.

She didn't miss the tiny girl watching over from a safe distance behind him, hiding behind a large tree trunk every time he moved his head.

"Are you well?" he mumbled.

"I am." She paused, "There's a girl standing behind you."

He let out an exasperated growl and turned to pick up a small pebble, no bigger than a coin, and threw it in Helen's direction, striking her shoulder. He winced, not intending to hit her, but kept his expression in check.

"Go back to Erwin!" he yelled at her.

The girl stayed rooted to her spot, not daring to hide anymore.

Mikasa pushed herself away from him and glared before walking back into the house, coming back out moments later with a small bowl of her stew, a throw blanket, and one of the stuffed rabbits she managed to repair.

"You shouldn't have done that, Levi." She said, motioning for the girl to come over.

Helen ran up to her and happily accepted her gifts.

Levi gave his traitorous wife a disgusted look. "Tch, fine. You can take her back to Erwin yourself." He walked back into the house, slamming the door behind him.

Mikasa knelt down and placed the bowl of hot stew in Helen's hands before wrapping the blanket over her shoulders, the yarn fibers tickling the back of her bare neck.

"I'm sorry about your arm. He isn't as mean as he looks." She told her. Fingering the stuffed animal, she sat it in front of the girl, staring intently at the fuzzy fibers of its ears. "I was supposed to give this to my baby, but you can have it if you want."

Helen set the bowl down and grabbed the doll, squeezing it to her chest. She gave Mikasa a toothy grin. "Thank you, pretty lady!"

Mikasa smiled, not realizing those were the most words the tiny girl before her had used in a single breath the entire time Levi had known her. She turned back to see Levi glaring from the window, giving him a dark look herself.

She looked back at Helen, who was watching the two with worried eyes. Mikasa gave her a soft smile. "I'll talk to him." She reassured before standing and made her way back into the house.

Levi didn't wait for her to speak.

"What are you doing with that brat? Take her back!"

"She doesn't have anywhere to go, does she?" She asked softly.

"She has Erwin and all his orphans. Let her make friends with all the other kids with dead parents."

"Levi…" He was treading on dangerous ground.

He slammed his fist against the table in frustration. Eyeing another repaired stuffed doll just inches away, he grabbed it and held it up for Mikasa to see. "I refuse to let her replace them."

He flung the doll to the floor. It landed in an uncharacteristic heap between them.

Mikasa widened her eyes in understanding. She grabbed his wrist and wrapped her hands around his, much like the old woman had done to him days ago. "They will never be replaced."

He grunted, ready to argue more, but his thoughts were interrupted when he heard a familiar tune floating in from outside. He almost couldn't believe he was hearing it. Almost no one knew the lullaby.

"_Dodo, l'enfant do, l'enfant dormira bien vite…"_

The words, so simplistic and in a language he hardly understood, brought forth a familiar feeling; one he hadn't felt in a _very_ long time. Hazy images of a dark-haired woman smiling down at him, caressing his cheek with the back of her fingers, flooded his memories as if they were from some distant dream.

"_Dodo, l'enfant do, l'enfant dormira bientôt."_

He removed his hand and walked towards the doorway.

"Levi?"

"_Une poule blanche,"_

"Wait," he urged, holding his hand up.

"_Est là dans la grange"_

Slowly, he stepped outside to where Helen was sitting by herself in the dirt, rocking the doll in her arms, the familiar song passing through her own lips.

"_Qui va faire un petit coco-"_

Helen paused, feeling his presence suddenly near. She looked up at the man she had faithfully followed the past few days. He was giving her a strange look, one she didn't recognize. Finally, he took a seat beside her and softly sang.

"_Pour l'enfant qui va fair' dodo."_

The young girl let out an excited squeal and smiled even more in triumph when he didn't try to shove her away as she crawled into his lap, seeking that same embrace his unconscious form offered those cold nights traveling back to the walls. His accent wasn't perfect, but it spoke volumes.

This time, together, they sang.

"_Dodo, l'enfant do,  
L'enfant dormira bien vite  
Dodo, l'enfant do,  
L'enfant dormira bientôt."_

Mikasa smiled from the doorway, watching as Levi's arm gradually found its way around the girl, holding her in a soft embrace. It looked like they would be using that empty room after all.

_Tout le monde est sage  
Dans le voisinage  
Il est l'heure d'aller dormer  
Le sommeil va bientôt venir_.

* * *

**And there I go, introducing an oc I never meant to create… She won't stick around for long. Or maybe she will. I haven't decided what to do with her yet. THESE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ONE SHOTS! HOW DID I GET SO CARRIED AWAY?!**

**_Dodo L'enfant Do_ ("Sleepy Time, The Child Sleeps") is an old French lullaby. It is very soothing to wee human ears.**

**The surname Reynard means something along the lines of 'brave' or 'cunning.'**

**This two part thing was my take on the "Survey corps interacting with Levi and Mikasa's kid" prompt someone sent me. I'm so sorry it was just a small section that actually included the interaction, but I hope it was to your liking. I killed children for you, dear reader! (Not literally. Please don't call the cops.)**

**Thank you for reading! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shingeki no Kyojin or "Dodo L'enfant Do"**** (I don't think anyone knows who owns that lullaby... it's a folk song.)**


End file.
